The detention of executives and columnists from the critical daily Cumhuriyet newspaper has been criticized by officials from the United States and Europe, with the U.S. State Department saying it supports Turkey’s efforts to locate those responsible for the attempted coup, but was deeply concerned by the continuing pressure on the news media.

Police has raided the houses of Cumhuriyet Daily Ediyor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, President of the Execution Board Akın Atalay and Cumuhuriyet Foundation Executive Board member and columnist Güray Öz. Sabuncu and Öz have been taken into custody.

On a live TV show on Oct. 22, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said his government was preparing for a new decree in the force of law (KHK) in order to return those dismissed from their public jobs “by mistake” in the wake of the probes after the military coup attempt in Turkey on July 15.

Nasuh Mahruki, the head of the non-profit Search and Rescue Association (AKUT), has been released on probation, shortly after being referred to court with an arrest demand on Oct. 24 for allegedly “insulting” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is working on a system that will impose a single parliament, a presidential system and a two-stage election system on the country, the party’s constitution commission head, Mustafa Şentop, has said.